Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for this stretch.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a rough start. The wind is howling out of the ENE at 25 mph, and it’s cross-shore all day on Wednesday, September 2nd. The ocean is a mess with a lumpy cross-chop, so you can forget about it. The swell is 8 ft from the ENE, but the period is a short, weak 8 seconds, and the combined energy of all swells here is only a weak 783. It’s not worth paddling out until the wind lays down.

Things stay ugly through Thursday and Friday morning with similar strong cross-shore winds. The swell sticks around 7 ft to 7 ft, but the period drops to a pathetic 7 seconds, and the energy is weak to moderate. The water temp is 81°, which is about 1° warmer than average, so nothing unusual there.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday afternoon, September 4th. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the ENE, but the period stretches out to a very long 14 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy jumps to 1889—strong. The wind is still a fresh cross-shore, so it’s not clean, but the tide might line up for a few. The setup here is a reef break, so that long period should wrap in nicely, but it’s an advanced wave and it could be a little too big for beginners. If you’re an expert, keep an eye on the afternoon.

The weekend has some potential. Saturday morning, September 5th, the swell is 7 ft from the ENE, period at 13 seconds, and energy is still strong at 1653. The wind drops to a moderate 16 mph cross-shore, which is still a bit lumpy, but it’s a definite step up. Sunday morning, September 6th, sees the wind shift to a cross-onshore, which makes it choppy, but the swell holds at 7 ft with a 12-second period. It’s a bit of a grind.

The standout window looks like Tuesday, September 8th. The wind drops to almost nothing—a light breeze, and even a slight air on the afternoon with rain showers—swinging to cross-shore. The swell is 5 ft from the ENE, period at 10 seconds, and a moderate energy of 776. For the first time, the surface is looking clean. This is the best on offer. The break is consistent, and with the reef setting, it’ll handle the 10-second period well. The crowds are “sometimes” here, so expect a few other heads out, but it’ll be worth it.

After that, we hit a poor stretch from Wednesday, September 9th, through the start of the second week. The wind picks back up to a fresh 22 mph, and the swell drops to 3 ft on Wednesday morning before bouncing around. The energy is weak, and the conditions are lumpy. There’s a marginal window on Thursday, September 10th, with a 7 ft swell and 14-second period, but the cross-shore wind is still strong, making it a messy gamble.

The second week offers a few more chances. Friday, September 11th, and Saturday, September 12th, see the wind back down to a gentle to light breeze, cross-shore. The swell sticks around 6 ft to 6 ft with a period of 11 to 12 seconds. The energy is moderate, and the surf is more rideable, but the quality is still only marginal. By then, the water will be about the same temp. It’s not a clean run, but it’s surfable.

From Sunday, September 13th, onward, the swell fades into the 3 ft to 4 ft range, and the energy drops to weak. The wind stays light to moderate cross-onshore, making it choppy. There’s a pulse of 7 ft swell on Thursday, September 17th, but the wind is back up to 22 mph. It’s a cross-shore mess again, and the energy is moderate at 1047. That’s a no-go for a paddle.

Overall, the best call is Tuesday, September 8th, when the wind finally shuts off and the reef at Kohala Lighthouse (Big Island) gets you a clean 5 ft swell. That’s the one to circle.

Rusty.

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